X-ray, Optical and IR Images of il Gioiello Cluster (XDCP J0044.0-2033)
The most massive cluster of galaxies with an age of 800 million years or younger has been discovered and studied. X-ray data from Chandra allowed astronomers to accurately determine the mass and other properties of this cluster, nicknamed the "Gioiello" (Italian for "Jewel") cluster. These images of the Gioiello Cluster show X-rays from Chandra, infrared data from Herschel, and an optical image from Subaru. Results like this help astronomers better understand how galaxy clusters, the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity, have evolved over time.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/INAF/P.Tozzi, et al; Optical: NAOJ/Subaru and ESO/VLT; Infrared: ESA/Herschel)